The Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research at Stony Brook University in collaboration with Literacy Suffolk Inc propose to develop a Community Alliance for Research Empowering Social Change (CARES). CARES will consist of an interdisciplinary team of researchers, community based organizations and community members working together to improve minority health and eliminate racial/ethnic health disparities on Long Island through health literacy and education. This initiative will be developed through the strategic alliances of the Graduate Program in Public Health, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, and a coalition of community members. This unique consortium will provide the necessary infrastructure for community-based participatory research. Long Island is one of the most mature and affluent suburbs in the nation with a population of approximately 3 million people. However, it is also considered the most segregated suburb in the nation, leaving its low-income residents vulnerable to poor health outcomes. Due Long Island's affluence and historical institutionalized housing practices, neighborhoods with high poverty rates are also communities of color. Utilizing community based participatory methods; we will examine the social and behavioral risk factors for racial/ethnic minorities on Long Island. Specifically, we will examine the chronic illnesses that disproportionately impact minority populations; work with our community coalition to develop and implement culturally competent evidence-based interventions; and disseminate those findings to our community members. The Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research strives to bridge the gap between community and research. Literacy Suffolk, Inc. believes that the ability to read, write, and communicate effectively is critical to personal freedom and the maintenance of a democratic society. Through CARES we will utilize the existing resources and social networks of our communities to encourage minorities to participate in research, in order to improve minority health outcomes on Long Island as well as empower our communities to participate in social change. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]